Elle Huerta is the CEO and Founder of Mend, a self care app that helps users grow through their breakups. She developed Mend after running letsmend.com, a beloved content site and community for …

Elle Huerta is the CEO and Founder of Mend, a self care app that helps users grow through their breakups. She developed Mend after running letsmend.com, a beloved content site and community for the brokenhearted. When you download Mend you’ll immediately hear Elle’s voice in the daily trainings–she is after all the Chief Mender of Broken Hearts.

These short audio trainings are packed with expert, science-rooted advice, and the compassionate support you need as you mend your broken heart. Menders who were active felt better 58% faster than those who weren’t mending. When it comes to supporting the brokenhearted, Elle’s got it down to a science. We asked her to share some tips on how to cheer up our heartbroken friends this Valentine’s Day, and here’s what she had to say.

Tip 1: Mender Tip –Plan A Healthy Distraction

Getting out of bed is hard enough when you’re heartbroken, so imagine how difficult it is to plan distractions for yourself after a breakup. One way to support a friend who’s struggling with heartbreak is to make a plan for them and let your friend know that all they need to do is show up. Social support is so crucial to feeling better if you’re struggling, so making it easier for your heartbroken friend to do so is the perfect way to cheer them up and distract them in a healthy way. You don’t have to go over-the-top with your plans either, even just inviting them on a hike or to go see a movie (don’t forget to bring your candy!) will do the trick.

Tip 2: Mender Tip – Keep In Touch

Breakups can be extremely deflating. They tend to bring up insecurities we didn’t even know we had. It’s important to let our heartbroken friends know how much they mean to us and the ways in which they’ve sweetened our lives. They’ll need to hear this positive reinforcement when they’re feeling crushed from a breakup. Text them throughout the day to check in on them, remind them in person that you love them, and send them photos of happy memories you’ve shared (trips, dinners, parties). These are sure to brighten their day and remind them that they’re loved.

Tip 3: Spread Some Sweetness this Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is a day to celebrate love, and it doesn’t just have to be romantic love! If you have friends who are single, remind them that they’re loved. The simplest reminder that you care about someone and want them to feel loved on this day goes a long way. At Mend, we’re big fans of handwritten valentines. If you have a bestie or family member going through a difficult breakup, write them a letter highlighting what you love about them and why they’re special. Another small gift that has major benefits in the mending process? Plants! Plants and flowers offer nature’s healing benefits, so you can’t go wrong by sending a heartbroken friend a beautiful terrarium or a bamboo plant they can nurse to grow tall as they grow from this breakup. But it wouldn’t be Valentine’s Day without something sweet, and you don’t want your heartbroken friends missing out on a V-Day staple! The Sugarfina Love Bites Candy Bento Box makes for the perfect gift. It’s a sweet way to say “I see what you’re going through and I’m thinking of you.” Sometimes love does bite, and it’s a fun way to acknowledge that it’s not all chocolates and roses.

Shop more Sugarfina Valentine’s Day treats for you and your friends online and in a boutique near you!